A mixed day across Asian stock markets with the slump on Wall Street overnight reflected across most bourses except Chinese, which bucked the trend. The RBA decision to hold was the highlight of the day, as the Aussie dollar reached a new high beforehand as the USD weakened, the realisation that no more cuts sent
By Chris Becker Last night saw a big risk inversion on trade concerns as the Twit in Chief rolled out new steel tariffs and blamed the Fed and high USD, just as the latest ISM Manufacturing print came in with a surprise fall and contraction, particularly in employment. The USD tanked as a result, sending
Asian stock markets have started the week on a strong note despite the slump on Wall Street on Friday night, namely because of the weaker Yen sending Japanese stocks higher and a firm Chinese PMI print. The USD has weakened against Aussie and Kiwi which have gapped higher on the usual Monday morning open while
By Chris Becker Friday night saw the return of US traders to their desks and waited for any news about the ongoing US/China trade negotiations, with a mild risk-off session the result. Wall Street didn’t make a new record high – shock and horror – while bond yields fell as markets price in a near
Asian stock markets have gone into risk off mode going into the weekend, despite the Black Friday retail orgy but mainly due to lack of direction from closed a Wall Street. A speech by BOJ Governor Kuroda has rattled a bit of confidence in Japan and elsewhere as he states “fiscal and monetary policy is
By Chris Becker US markets were closed for thanksgiving overnight, leaving other risk markets to their own devices as the Chinese reaction to continued pressure on their oppression in Hong Kong made a small impression. A lack of further economic releases of any import keep risk aversion contained to a slight dip in European stocks
Asian stock markets are quite mixed across the region with local shares buoyed by Westpac’s call for two more rate cuts by the beleagured RBA, which sent the Aussie dollar down, while Chinese stocks continued their pullback as the Yuan fix hovered around the 7 handle. No news on the US/China trade deal is good
By Chris Becker Overnight risk markets took a step back as the USD cooled on its strengthening trend against the major undollar assets, with gold moving higher alongside Euro and Yen. Wall Street advanced only slightly while European markets slipped and it looks like a cool day of risk taking here in Asia. Looking at
A solid session for most Asian stock markets although this hasn’t translated into a full risk on response from S&P and Eurostoxx futures as currencies were unable to move in their risk proxy directions as usual, Yen in particular. The gold price and Yuan fix stayed steady while Bitcoin attempted but failed to breakout of
By Chris Becker A big surge on overnight markets with US stocks making new record highs in the wake of fresh optimism surrounding the US/China trade deal and the run up to the Black Friday retail orgy. Tech stocks led the way while European bourses also had a solid night with more ECB wonkery explaining
Weekend news of a possible resolution or movement of some kind in the US/China trade talks although the IMF is right to say this might be just domestic politics posturing as one country tries to stabilise internal struggle while the other tries to kick out a corrupt autocrat. Does it matter which? Gold fell again
By Chris Becker US all the way on Friday night with Treasuries, the USD Index and Wall Street all advancing in tandem on the back of (spurious) claims by Trump that the US/China trade talks are advancing well – even though he later contradicted that in a Fox news rant. In Europe, new ECB President
Another generally mixed day in Asian risk taking given the poor performance on Wall Street overnight as the stronger USD weighs on markets. Chinese stocks are really struggling here, with the Shanghai Composite down nearly 0.6% to be well below 2900 points although the Hang Seng Index has found a modicum of buying support, currently
By Chris Becker The USD re-asserted itself overnight as stock markets stumbled surrounding the continued lack of good news emanating from US/China trade talks, with Wall Street putting in minor losses. Oil rallied although this didn’t help commodity currencies as the Canadian Loonie dropped on domestic comments, dragging the Aussie and other proxies with it.
Another sea of red across Asian stock markets today following the same wave overnight on Wall Street, despite the Chinese trying to shore up optimism that trade talks won’t stumble and fall into the 2020 calendar year. Moody’s downgrade of the Australian state budgets weighed locally with the Australian dollar struggling to get back above
By Chris Becker Overnight markets were rocked again as the possibility of the US/China trade talks extending well into 2020 firmed, as domestic concerns outweighed the bigger picture, stumbling on tariffs again. US stocks are down nearly 1% going into the close while the USD has firmed against most of the majors. Looking at the
No surprise that risk markets are wobbling on any sniff of trouble surrounding the US/China trade deal, as Trump throws the word “tariff” in the air again, which sent US stocks lower overnight, leaking into safe havens here in Asia. Chinese stocks have reversed their recent bounceback, with the Shanghai Composite slumping nearly 0.8% lower
By Chris Becker US stocks lost ground as Trump fumbled around comments regarding Chinese tariffs, pushing industrials down while tech stocks had a slight tick upwards, as the USD lost ground against the undollars. Pound Sterling was the exception as the Tories continue to par back in the polls while Bitcoin cracked below the $8000
Japanese stocks are weighing on Asian risk taking as selling exhaustion is seeing Chinese markets both on the mainland and in oppressed Hong Kong surge higher. The USD remains under pressure although a lack of buying in Aussie dollar is seeing the local currency fall short of the 68 cent level. Chinese stocks have continued
By Chris Becker A very quiet night for stock markets as weakness in USD sees risk taking a back seat with scratch sessions on both sides of the Atlantic. The USD fell against Yen and Euro in particular, while Bitcoin reached a new monthly low by crossing below $8300. Looking at the action on Asian
Outside local stock markets, the rest of Asia is bullish coming out of the Friday night play on overseas markets, where risk taking remains strong as Wall Street reaches a new record high – again. The USD remains weak against most of the majors although gold is struggling to find buyers while the Aussie dollar
By Chris Becker Friday night saw another new record high for US markets, all based on the expectation that the US/China trade talks will still present a positive outcome for both. USD fell against most of the majors while the risk proxy USDJPY pair jumped, so combined this should result in a very good start
Outside China, stocks are quite boisterous here in Asia leading to good buy signals for the northern hemisphere as we close the trading week out. The USD is coming back against Yen, while risk proxies Kiwi and Aussie bounced a little higher today but are lacking any signs of real momentum. Chinese stocks are still
By Chris Becker Overnight risk markets are in retracement mode as the USD also falls against all the majors except the commodity proxies as Aussie, Kiwi and Loonie remain subdued. European stocks fell as bond yields dropped everywhere except in Italy, while oil prices are not moving as the latest inventory report surprises with a
Stocks are generally down across Asia with only local issues rising due to the fall in the Aussie dollar as the latest unemployment print undershot, sending interest rate expectations down with it. The risk off mood hasn’t been helped by a slip in Chinese industrial production numbers alongside retail sales. Chinese stocks are diverging in
By Chris Becker An unexpectedly lower UK CPI print and continued focus on Hong Kong, combined with all eyes on the Trump impeachment inquiry is seeing risk markets on both sides of the Atlantic wobble as USD becomes mixed against the majors. Gold is making a weak comeback while oil prices are trying to build
Stocks are falling across the region as tariff concerns over the Chinese trade deal mount alongside increased tensions in Hong Kong. The RBNZ lift its interest rate unchanged which saw the Kiwi leap higher while the Aussie dollar continues its slow deflation as the USD firms against the majors. Chinese stocks are really on the
By Chris Becker Swings and roundabouts as the risk meter returns to the positive polarity overnight, with European and US stocks lifting in response to a delay in proposed US tariffs on European autos. The USD is mixed against the majors, with Pound Sterling lifting alongside the Swiss Franc while Euro is falling as the
The mixed session from overnight markets has seen an equally mixed result here across Asia as tensions in Hong Kong remain high, while tech stocks and a softer Yen are lifting risk appetites only in Japan. The USD continues to firm against most of the majors, in particular Kiwi as traders await tomorrow mornings RBNZ
By Chris Becker The trading week is having a mixed start as concerns from the Asian trading session yesterday transferred to Wall Street, particularly the lack of progress on a US/China trade deal but also the escalating tensions in Hong Kong. While stocks are trading in the US, debt markets are closed for Veteran’s Day
